The Booker Family

STOP

Early Journal Content on JSTOR, Free to Anyone in the World

This article is one of nearly 500,000 scholarly works digitized and made freely available to everyone in
the world by JSTOR.

Known as the Early Journal Content, this set of works include research articles, news, letters, and other
writings published in more than 200 of the oldest leading academic journals. The works date from the
mid-seventeenth to the early twentieth centuries.

We encourage people to read and share the Early Journal Content openly and to tell others that this
resource exists. People may post this content online or redistribute in any way for non-commercial
purposes.

Read more about Early Journal Content at http://about.jstor.org/participate-jstor/individuals/early-
journal-content .

JSTOR is a digital library of academic journals, books, and primary source objects. JSTOR helps people
discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content through a powerful research and teaching
platform, and preserves this content for future generations. JSTOR is part of ITHAKA, a not-for-profit
organization that also includes Ithaka S+R and Portico. For more information about JSTOR, please
contact support@jstor.org.

94 VIRGINIA HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

on account of his Father's Memory." The dates hereafter given from
Alumni Oxonienses, of the two elder son's university record, indicate
that this reference is to the younger son, William.

The Parish Register of Christ Church, records the marriage as above
stated, of Rev. Bartholomew Yates and Sarah Mickleburrough, and of
births and baptisms of their six children — three daughters and three
sons:

ist. Catherine, b. June 24; Bap. July 4, 1706.
2d. Sarah, b. Mar. 3, 1707.
3d. Bartholomew, b. Feb. 9; Bap. Feb. 17, 1712.
4th. Robert, b. Jan. 8; Bap. Jan. 20, 1715.
5th. Frances, b. Nov. 15; Bap. Nov. 17, 1718.
6th. William, b. Dec. 10; Bap. Dec. 14, 1720.

Of the daughters, we know very little, ist. Catharine, married John
Walker, May 10, 1733, birth and baptism as above, and death of Catha-
rine Walker, October 5, 1738, and births and baptisms of two children
recorded in Parish Register:

1. Sarah, b. June 30, 1734. Bap. July 4, 1734.

2. Clara, b. Aug. 7. Bap. Aug. 9, 1737.

John Walker died 1745, leaving in his will his daughter Sarah, to care
of her grandmother Sarah Yates, and her daughter Clara, to Captain
Henry Thacker and wife. — Va. Hist. Mag., I, 470.

2d. Sarah. Parish Register only records her birth. As the record of
birth and baptism was generally made together — she may have died in
infancy. She may have lived to be the first wife of John Robinson (son of
Christopher and Judith Wormeley) born 1707, died 1787, whose first wife
was a Miss Yates. — Rich' d Standard, March 19, 1881.

3d. Frances, married February 2, 1737-8, Rev. John Reade, son of
Thomas Reade (son of George Reade and Elizabeth Martian, ancestors
of General Washington) and Lucy Gwin. He was rector of Stratton
Major Parish in King and Queen county, and probably died in 1743,
when he ceased to be rector. After death of first Bartholomew Yates,
while the Parish was waiting for Bartholomew, second, to be ordained,
he officiated temporarily in Christ Church, where he probably became
acquainted with his wife. The Parish Register records her birth, bap-
tism and marriage, and birth and baptism of her son John, born June 19,
baptized June 20, 1744. This son died in infancy, but she had also a
daughter Sarah, who married in March, 1760, John Rootes. — Wm. and
Mary Quarterly, III, 40; IV, 122; VII, 190.

THE BOOKER FAMILY.

In the York county records, book 1638-1648, page 434, the following
appears:

GENEALOGY. 95

<<**»• [ W ords worn off] Know unto all men by these pres-
ents, that I, Edward Booker * * * doe make, constitute, ordayne
and appoynt my Brother in law, Richard Glover, to be my true and law-
full atturney for me & in my name, & and to my sole & p'per use to
aske demand Levy, recover and receive all bills, debts and demands due
to me the said Booker, within the Collony of Virginia, alsoe to rec. out
of the hands of ffrances Cold, all such tob. reced. or bills to be rec'd or
whatsoever of mine in his hands & upon denyall of payment, to sue, ar-
rest, implead & imprison any of my debt'rs within the said collony and
upon receipt of any quantity or quantities of tob. to give acquittance for
the same & if it seeme good to the s'd Glover to constitute on[e] or
more atturneys under & looke what hee or they shall doe or cause to be
done in or about the premises. I doe ratine & confirme as if I myselfe
weare p'sonally present. Witness my hand & seale, second day of Sep-
tember, in the Briel, 1648." [Brill in Holland.]

Edward Booker, (the seale.)
In the presence of us:

Tho. Allen, John Cannart.

This Edward Booker was perhaps the father of Richard Booker, of
Gloucester county, Va. Richard Glover was a London merchant, who
had extensive dealings with Virginia.

From the earliest land grants in 1623, or there abouts, down to the
Revolution, there was not a land grant to any Booker, except to this
immediate family.

In the York county records for the date given below, on page 38, the
following appears:

" Know all men by these presents that I, Richard Booker, by virtue
of a letter of attorney from Samuel Edwards have constituted and ap-
pointed my father in Law, Mr. John Leake, to be my lawfull attorney
(&c, &c), this 20th day of ffebruary, 167%."

On July 20, 1692, David Coghills, of Rappahannock county, conveyed
to Richard Booker, of Gloucester county, 250 acres of land near the
head of Port Tobacco Creek, Rappahannock county. On September
24, 1692, Mr. John Underbill and Mary his wife, made a deed for 200
acres of land to Captain Richard Booker (York Records, p. 170). In
another column of the York records, the above Richard Booker is
alluded to as being of "ye parish of Abington, in ye County of Glou-
cester," and on the upper side of Fellgate's Creek.

In July, 1685 (L. Book, 7, p. 540) Captain Richard Booker received a
grant of 740 acres in Gloucester county, on April 20, 1694, a grant of 180
acres in Gloucester, and on October 20, 1704 a grant of 613 acres in
Essex.

Captain Richard ' Booker married, first, Rebecca (Leake ?), and sec-
ondly, Hannah Hand.* [See note at end.]

96 VIRGINIA HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

Issue (by first marriage): i. Edmund; 1 2. Judith;' 3. Edward; 1 4.
Ann;' 5. Richard;* 6. John,' baptized August 3, 1690 (Abingdon Reg-
ister). Issue (by second marriage, as far as known): 7. Frances;' 8.
George,' of Gloucester county. Frances Stokes in her will, dated No-
vember 1, 1751, bequeathed property to her brother George Booker, of
Gloucester county, and to his children Richard, George and Edward
Booker, and Sarah Mumford.

7. Frances ' Booker, married Stokes, and died in Amelia

county, in 1752, leaving a considerable estate. Her will, dated Novem-
ber 1, 1751, and proved December 28, 1752, in Amelia, is of much assis-
tance in giving a correct account of the family. She bequeaths land to
Lucy Clarke. Legacies to Richard, George and Edward Booker, and
Sarah Mumford. children of " my brother George Booker, of Gloucester
county." To Hannah, daughter of Richard Clarke and Lucy his wife.
To James, son of Richard Clarke. To Mary, wife of Samuel Tarry and
Frances and Mary Tarry, their daughters. To Edward son of Major
Booker (Major Richard Booker). To Edward Booker, son of Captain
Edward Booker. To Major Richard Booker, Captain Edward Booker,
Lucy Clarke and Mary Tarry, children of Colonel Edward Booker
deceased. To "my brothers" George Booker and William Marshall.
To Edmond Booker, Sr, and Jane his wife. To John and Marshall
Tabb, children of Captain Thomas Tabb. To Major Richard Booker,
and Purify Booker. To the poor of Raleigh parish, Amelia county, £25.
To Judith, daughter of Colonel Edward Booker.

1. Edmund" Booker, lived for a time in Essex county. There is
recorded in Amelia a deed, dated June, 1736, from Edward Booker, of
Amelia, conveying to Edmund Booker, of Essex, a tract of land in
Amelia, near Richard Booker's mill. He afterwards removed to Amelia,
which he represented in the House of Burgesses, in 1757, {Journal) and
1758 (Burt's Va., vol. III). He died in 1758. The will of " Edmund
Booker, Sr." was dated November 10, 1757, and proved in Amelia,
September 28, 1758. His legatees were his wife Jane, daughter Frances
Clement, sons Edmund, John, William, and Edward, and daughter
Rebecca Overton.

Issue of Edmund* and Jane Booker: 9. Edmund;* 10. John;' 11.
William;' 12. Edward;' 13. Frances,' married Clement; 14. Re-
becca,* married Overton.

3. Col. Edward' Booker, of " Winterham, " Amelia county, was
baptized June 2, 1680 Abingdon Register) and died November 2, 1750
(Family Bible). He removed from Gloucester to the part of Prince
George county which is now Amelia, and was appointed Justice of the
Peace of Prince George in 1733, was one of the first justices of Amelia
at its formation in 1736, and was one of its. first representatives in the
House of Burgesses in the same year. ( Virginia Historical Register,
IV, 135.) In 1736 and 1743 he was presiding justice of the county. Col.

GENEALOGY. 97

Edward Booker, married twice: (i) Mary ; (2) Judith, sister of Wil-
liam Archer, of Amelia county. The will of "Edward Booker, Sr.,"
was dated July 18, and proved in Amelia, November 16, 1750. His
legatees were: wife Judith, son Edward Booker, Jr.; daughter Judith
Booker; makes provision in case Stith Hardaway, or any other person
in his own right, "or in the right of the daughters of my wife by her
first husband, should bring suit against my executors, in regard to the
father or grandfather's estates; " refers to the plantation at Winterham,
where he lives; appoints his son Richard Booker, and Edward Booker,
Jr., and sons-in-law Richard Clarke and Samuel Tarry, executors.

The inventory of the personal estate of "Colonel Edward Booker,"
was appraised at ;£ 1,288. 2. 6.

The will of Judith (who died January 7, 1750) widow of Edward
Booker, was dated December 14, 1750, and proved January 18, 1750-51.
Legatees: daughter Judith Booker, "my four daughters" [doubtless by
first husband] brother William Archer, and friend Samuel Cobbs,
executors.

Issue (1st m): 13. Lucy,* married Richard Clarke, of Amelia. He
was appointed a justice of Amelia, in 1740, but declined to accept; 14.
Richard;* 15. Rebecca,* married, in 1736, Thomas Tabb, of Amelia,
marriage bond April 10. This was Colonel Thomas Tabb, of 'Clay
Hill," long a Burgess; 16. Mary, married Samuel Tarry, or Terry and
died November 3, 1756; 17. Edward* (2d m.) 18. Judith.*

5. Richard* Booker, was baptized October 29, 1688 (Abingdon Reg-
ister) and died April 25, 1743 {Family Bible).

On July 31, 1732, he had a grant of 970 acres in Prince George county
(now Amelia) — Land Book, 14, p. 459. In this grant he is styled " Rich-
ard Booker, of James City county, Gent." This land adjoined that of
his brother Edward, was between Knibbs and Flat creeks. On Septem-
ber 16, 1741, as Rich'd Booker, of James City county, he, with Martha
his (second.) wife, conveyed certain lots at Queen Mary Post, Williams-
burg (York Records, 1741, p. 46). He was appointed a justice of James
City county in 1730 and again in 1738 (Council Journal), but towards
the end of his life removed to York county, where he died. His will is
as follows:

In the name of God, Amen. I, Richard Booker, of the county of
York, being sick and weak in body, but of perfect sense and memory
(blessed be God), do make my last will and testament. That is to say,
I first recommend my soul to the protection of my Great Creator, hop-
ing for pardon for my offences, thro' the merits and mediation of my
blessed redeemer and Savior, and as to my body, I desire it my be de-
cently buried according to the Ceremony & Custom of the Church of
England. My Worldly Estate w'ch it has pleased God to bless me with
I dispose of in manner following.

Imprimis. I give and bequeath to my son Richard Booker, all my
7

98 VIRGINIA HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

lands lying in Gloucester County for and during the natural life of him
& his wife, and after their decease, to his son Richard, and his heirs
forever. But if my said Grandson Richard should dye before he arrives
at the age of Twenty-one years or shall have a son lawfully begotten to
inherit it, then I give the said lands to my Grandson Joseph Booker and
his heirs forever.

Item. I give to my son Richard two negroes named Hampton and
Moll, and all my stock of cattle, sheep & hogs, which are at my planta-
tion in Gloucester County, on Condition that he shall make up the num-
ber of twenty-four head of cattle to the Legatees or Executors of the
last will of my late wife Martha, to be delivered to them at the Capital
Landing if required. I also give to my son Richard, my broad Cloth
suit of Cloathes and my old Hatt.

Item. I give my travelling chair and-* harness to my three daughters,
Frances Warburton, Rebecca Coulthard, and Martha Barrett.

Item. I give to my son William Booker, my new saddle and blue
Horsing [housing] and half my Household goods and stock of Cattle,
Horses, sheep & hogs at my plantation in Caroline County, now in the
possession of Thomas Croucher. In consideration of w'ch It is my will
& desire that my said son William shall pay to my daughter Purify, the
sum of Ten pounds Curr't money, on the day of her marriage, which I
do hereby bequeath unto her.

Item. I give to my Daughter Purify, my negro boy named Charles,
and my negro Girl Alice; my white Cart horse and a mare called Young
rose, also a good woman's saddle, with a good covering, Furniture &
Bridle, which is to be delivered to her by my son-in-law John Coult-
hard.

Item. I give and Bequeath to my Grand Children, viz: John War-
burton, Richard Coulthard, James Barrett, and Richard, the son of Wil-
liam Booker, five pounds Curr't money each of them; and also five
pounds to the first child my Daughter Hoy shall be delivered of alive,
which said several sums I hereby require my son John to pay to the
fathers of my said Grand Children as soon, as it can be conveniently
raised out of the Estate hereafter devised to him, at least within two
years after my decease.

Item. I give all my household goods w'ch are at my son-in-Law John
Coulthard, unto my two Daughters Rebecca Coulthard and Purify
Booker, to be equally divided between them.

Item. I give to my Daughter Purify three cows w'ch are at my son-
in-law John Coulthard's, in lieu of five young cattle left to her by her
Godfather Lowry.

Item. I give and bequeath to my son John Booker, my plantation
lying on Ware Creek in New Kent County, and my plantation lying near
Knightsfield, in James City County, to him and his heirs forever; also
my negro boy Harry, and all my negroes, Horses, Cattle, sheep, hogs,

GENEALOGY. 99

and Household goods at the said plantations; and all my negroes, and
half of the stock of horses, cattle, sheep, hogs and Household goods
w'ch are at my plantation in Caroline County.

Item. I give to my son John Booker, all my crop of Tobo. which
shall be made this year at my plantation in Caroline; and one hogshead
of nine hundred pounds of nett Tobo. which shall be made this year at
my plantation in Gloucester; which I order to be applyed by my son
John to the payment of my just debts, and fifty shillings out of it to be
given by him to my Daughter Purify to buy such wearing apparel as she
likes.

Item. I give to Thomas Robins, of Gloucester County, my old Coat,
two waste coats, and Leather * *

Item. I give to my son John Booker, all other my Estates, both Real
& personal. And lastly, I do hereby appoint my son John Booker and
my friend William Parks [the publisher of the first Virginia Gazette, in
1736] Executors of this my last will & Testament, hereby revoking &
making void all other wills by me heretofore made. It is my further
will and desire that no appraisement be made of my Estate and that my
Executors be not obliged to give security for the Execution of this will.
In witness whereof I set my hand & seal this Twenty-first day of April,

1743-

Rich'd Booker. (L. S.)

Signed, sealed, published, and declared in presence of:

Mary Hornby, Martha Crips, Jean Tenison, William Dunn.

At a Court held for York County, May the 16, 1743, This last will &
Testament of Richard Booker, dece'd was this day presented in
Court by the Ex'tors therein named, who made oath to it. and being
proved by the oath of all the witnesses, was ordered to be recorded.

Test: Matt. Hubard, CI. Ct.
A copy— Teste: T. T. Hudgins, Clerk of York County Court

Richard* Booker, of James City and York counties, married twice.
First, Margaret, daughter of William Lowry and Frances Purefoy, his

wife (see note), and second, Martha . All of the children appear

to have been by the first marriage.

Issue: 19. Richard,' was left land in Gloucester. In 1743 he had sons
Richard and Joseph; 20. William;* 21. John;* 22. Frances,* married
Warburton, 23. Rebecca,' married John Coulthard. A Bible en-
try gives the death of a " Rebecca Douthart, February 16, 1763," doubt-
less the same; 24. Martha,* married Barrett. In 1743 she had

a son, James Barrett, named in her father's will. In 1785, William
Booker, of Amelia (William,' above) conveyed certain land in Amelia

100 VIRGINIA HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

to his nephew Thomas Barrett, for life; 25. Purefoy, married in 1756,
Stith Hardaway (marriage bond, Amelia, December 5, 1756.)

[to be continued.]

* Hannah Hand was a daughter of Richard Hand and Frances Purify
or Purefoy, his wife. She married first Captain William Marshall, justice
of the peace of Elizabeth City county, originally from Barbadoes, who
was murdered at Hampton by some sailors about 1692. Issue by this
marriage, one son William Marshall. She married, secondly in 1694,
Captain Richard Booker. Richard Hand, died about 1689, and William
Lowry, on marrying his widow Frances (Purefoy) Hand, became his
administrator. Mrs. Frances Purefoy-Hand-Lowry, was a daughter of
Thomas Purefoy, son of Captain Thomas Purefoy of the Council. In
1698 John Tabb, who had married Martha, daughter of Richard Hand,
gave a receipt to William Lowry, administrator of Richard Hand, and
" father-in-law (step-father) to Martha, Tabb's wife, for her father's estate,
and for some stock left by Major Matthew Warkelin (Wakelin) her
" grandfather-in-law " (which means that Wakelin married the widow
of her grandfather Thomas Purefoy,, Jr.). In 1675 Wakelin was guardian
to Purefoy's children. In 1720 Hannah Booker, of Abingdon parish,
Gloucester, gave a power to William Lowry, of Elizabeth City, to release
to Thomas Kerby, of Charles Parish (who married Frances Lowry) her
title to certain land in Elizabeth City. About the same time William
Lowry deeded to John Lowry certain lands adjoining Hannah Booker's,
coming to him (William) as marrying "Frances, one of the daughters
and co-heirs of Thomas Purify of the parish, and county aforesaid, and
mother of the said John Lowry."

William Lowry in his will, proved May 13, 1724, names his daughter
Frances Kerby, deceased wife of Thomas Kerby, and her five children;
his sons John and William Lowry, daughter Margaret Booker, grandson
William Booker, daughter-in-law Martha Tabb [a step-daughter] Mary
Lowry, and Jane Lowry; son-in-law Richard Booker [a step-son], Thos.
Kerby and Richard Booker. For these notes from the York and Eliza-
beth City Record, we are indebted to the William and Mary Quarterly
July, 1898. His daughter Margaret married Richard' Booker, of York
county.

Captain Thomas Purifoy, Purify, Purine or Purfry, as the name is
variously rendered, was principal commander of Elizabeth City county
in 1628, and a commissioner (justice) of that county in the same year;
Burgess for the lower part of Elizabeth City in 1629-30, and a member
of the Council in 1631. A contemporary says of him: "He is a soldier
and a man of open heart, hating, for ought I can perceive, all kinds of
dissimulation and baseness." He named (according to a land patent)
one of his estates (a thousand acre tract) " Drayton," doubtless after the

GENEALOGY. 101

place of that name in Leicestershire, which was one of the seats of the
family of Purefoy, baronets, a title now extinct. There is among the
Maryland records a deposition, dated 1640, of Lucy wife of Captain
Thomas Purefoy, of Elizabeth City county, in which she states that she
was then about forty-two years of age, and was born "infra Ranson,"
in Leicestershire. In 1656 a grant was made to W. Moore for land at
Old Poquoson, which had been assigned to him by Lucy, relict of Cap-
tain Purifoy, and confirmed by Thomas Purifoy, his son and heir.

THE COLES FAMILY.

[We are indebted to a descendant for the following account of one
branch of the Coles family.]

The Coles family of Virginia is of English descent. At an early date
when the English government, in order to subjugate Ireland, and render
it, if possible, obedient to the laws of England, offered large induce-
ments to English gentlemen to emigrate, and in that country one of the
ancestors of the present Virginia branch removed to Enniscorthy, situ-
ated in the original division of Lienster county, Wexford, in the South-
eastern part of Ireland. His descendants still continue to live there.
John Coles was a younger son, and while still a very young man, on ac-
count of having incurred the displeasure of his father, came over to Vir-
ginia about the last years of Governor Spotswood's administration,
precise year unknown.

He was a very early settler of Richmond, and it has been said that he
built the first dwelling house ever erected there. He married Mary,
daughter of Isaac Winston, of Hanover county, who came to America
in 1704. A sister of Isaac Winston (Sarah) married the father of Pat-
rick Henry, making the children of John Coles and the celebrated Vir-
ginia orator first cousins. By this marriage, John Coles had five children.
t. Colonel Walter Coles; 2. Sarah Coles; 3. Mary Coles; 4. Colonel John
Coles; 5. Colonel Isaac Coles, who was a member of the first Congress
(1789), serving many years, and a colleague of James Madison. A
younger brother of John Coles came over to Virginia subsequently, and
lived in Hanover county at his seat, Coles Hill; he married Lucy, daugh-
ter of Isaac Winston, and was the ancestor of Dolly Madison. Not
long after his emigration, John Coles was possessed of a large fortune
from which we are led. to infer that his father forgave him, and left him
his share of the paternal estate. He owned a large tract of land in Hal-
ifax county, on the Staunton river, consisting of two plantations, whence
comes the name of Coles Ferry. He also owned and cultivated a place
in Albemarle county, called after the family place in Ireland. He built
a house there for a summer residence, and in the autumn amused by
hunting, of which he was very fond. He also owned a great deal of
land in and around Richmond, consisting of city lots, and farms in the